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Political Leaders

"Old City Hall, Wall St., N.Y." Steel engraving by Robert Hinshelwood

George Washington’s Congress Got Off to an Embarrassing Start

The new federal government was plagued with absences and excuses—until James Madison helped kick things into gear

George Washington, 1795-1796

History of Now

George Washington Had Nothing Good to Say About Nepotism

The first president was exceedingly wary of any semblance of impropriety

Theodore Roosevelt regularly employed executive orders to achieve his political goals.

History of Now

The Debate Over Executive Orders Began With Teddy Roosevelt’s Mad Passion for Conservation

Teddy used nearly 10 times as many executive orders as his predecessor. The repercussions are still felt today

President Woodrow Wilson addresses Congress

World War I: 100 Years Later

How Woodrow Wilson’s War Speech to Congress Changed Him – and the Nation

In 70 days in 1917, President Wilson converted from peace advocate to war president

President Richard Nixon smiles alongside Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren, even though the two waged political war against each other for decades

The Inside Story of Richard Nixon’s Ugly, 30-Year Feud with Earl Warren

Their dislike for each other set the tone for Supreme Court politics for decades to come

Nicholas II with guards outside the imperial palace.

Russian Revolution

The Abdication of Nicholas II Left Russia Without a Czar for the First Time in 300 Years

Events in Saint Petersburg 100 years ago brought the end to the Romanov dynasty

Illustration titled, “If you want to get rid of mosquitos, drain the swamp that breeds them.” (1909)

History of Now

The Myth That Washington Was a Swamp Will Never Go Away

It makes for a catchy slogan used by politicians of all persuasions, but there’s little truth to it

From left to right: Bernard Baruch, Norman H. Davis, Vance McCormick, Herbert Hoover

World War I: 100 Years Later

The Century-Long History of Tapping Wall Street to Run the Government

Looking to the one-percent to lead the country goes back to the era of World War I

Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo” Mohamed

Trending Today

Somalia’s New President Is an American Citizen. How Did That Happen?

After working city, county and state jobs in Buffalo, New York, Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo” Mohamed was elected president earlier this week

This 1976 photograph shows a woman receiving a vaccination during the nationwide swine flu vaccination campaign.

The Next Pandemic

The Long Shadow of the 1976 Swine Flu Vaccine ‘Fiasco’

Some, but not all, of the hesitance to embrace vaccines can be traced back to this event more than 40 years ago

President Dwight Eisenhower at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Feb. 2, 1956.

The History of the National Prayer Breakfast

The tradition began with President Eisenhower and has often been a place for the chief executive to talk about his faith

The Experimental Lakes Area in Ontario is one of the world's leading long-term experiments tracking the effects of climate change, pollution and other factors on freshwater ecosystems.

Canadian Scientists Explain Exactly How Their Government Silenced Science

It wasn’t just climate research. Rock snot, sharks and polar bears: All were off-limits during the Harper administration

Anti-immigrant cartoon showing two men labeled "Irish Wiskey" and "Lager Bier," carrying a ballot box.

History of Now

How the 19th-Century Know Nothing Party Reshaped American Politics

From xenophobia to conspiracy theories, the Know Nothing party launched a nativist movement whose effects are still felt today

A plaque outside of the Rosslyn, VA garage where the informant code-named "Deep Throat" met with journalist Bob Woodward during the Watergate investigation.

Cool Finds

The Parking Garage Where Deep Throat Spilled the Beans on Watergate Is Being Torn Down

Demolition is scheduled for early this year

"No one on earth can be totally secure, because nothing can completely protect you from life’s tragedies and the relentless passage of time.”

Michael Jackson, Donald Trump and Other Famous Americans Who Escaped Brushes With Death

The roads not taken for these 13 lucky souls saved their lives

Mikhael A. Menshikov, new Soviet ambassador, outside White House, going to visit with President Eisenhower

Cool Finds

How Adlai Stevenson Stopped Russian Interference in the 1960 Election

The Soviets offered the former presidential candidate propaganda support if he ran in 1960, an offer he politely declined

President Franklin D. Roosevelt exits a car during a campaign stop in California. Roosevelt was the first U.S. president with a visible disability, caused by polio.

People Mailed Dimes ‘By The Truck Load’ to FDR’s White House to Cure Polio

He was America’s first and only president with a visible—and known—disability

Nixon campaigning during the 1968 election

Trending Today

Notes Indicate Nixon Interfered With 1968 Peace Talks

Documents from aide seem to confirm long-time speculation that Nixon tried to scuttle a Vietnam peace deal to help his presidential campaign

Thatcher visits with President Bush in Aspen, Colorado in 1990 during a diplomatic reception. News of her resignation lit up diplomatic channels around the world.

Trending Today

The World Finally Knows How Leaders Reacted to Margaret Thatcher’s Resignation

The Iron Lady glistens in newly released papers about her last years as Prime Minister

A photograph of the National Menorah from 2011.

Why There’s A 30-Foot Menorah on the National Mall

The tradition of the National Menorah was begun under President Jimmy Carter in 1979

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